Page 2 of Glitter

“Yeah, but he has to record every complaint.” We both went quiet while we traveled downstairs and entered the foyer, although Amy tapped the top of her lunchbox the whole time in a beat that I didn’t quite recognize. She often tapped on things when her incredibly clever mind was whirring away. “If we can show a history of bullying, maybe when the fuckwit eventually slips up, we can nail his lumpy pancake ass to the wall.”

“He’s been clever so far,” I reminded her as we both joined the long line at the deli.

She raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow at me. “Bullies always slip, Blue. It’s only a matter of time before he fucks up, then we’ve got him.”

I hummed in vague agreement before I gave my attention to the menu board, searching for whatever was on special for the day. Reporting my bully could wait; my hungry stomach couldn’t.

“Got a minute, Matthew?” I asked, tapping on the metal doorframe of my boss’s messy office.

He looked up from his monitor, eyebrows furrowing slightly until he realized who was at the door. “Blue! Of course. What’s up?” As he rolled his chair back, he motioned to the tired and dated chairs opposite.

I took the nearest seat, sat back, and crossed one knee over the other. “Travis.”

He grimaced. “Again?”

“I’m getting tired of my lunches going missing, Matthew.”

Scratching the several-day-old stubble on his chin, he took his time to formulate a response. “I’ll record it like I’ve recorded all the other times he’s done it, but without definitive proof…”

I sighed as he trailed off and raised his shoulders in a shrug. “Surely, there’s something that can be done here.” I rubbed my thumb and forefinger against my forehead as I scrunched my face up in annoyance. “Why is it so hard for the higher ups to believe this is happening?”

Matthew sat there for a moment watching me, before he rose, went to the door, and shut it. He leaned his back against the glass, his hands behind him while he chewed his bottom lip. “After the last time you made an official complaint and we got the usual response, I did some quiet digging. It turns out Travis is a relative of Roman Eckersley, but it’s been kept quiet because they didn’t want his appointment to be scrutinized for nepotism. Apparently, Travis’s mother is Roman’s cousin, and she asked Roman to do her a favor.”

I let my head tip back so I could stare at the ceiling, letting the bitter taste of defeat settle. “So, there’s nothing I can do.”

“Oh, I didn’t say that,” Matthew said eagerly, lifting my spirits just enough to arouse my curiosity. “Evidently, Roman can’t stand the little turd, but because he’s family, his hands are somewhat tied in what he can do.” He took a moment to pause for effect. “Officially.”

I sat up and turned in my chair to look at him with renewed intrigue. “What aboutunofficially?”

With a massive grin on his face, he made a grand display of shrugging his shoulders. “I’m sure I don’t know what you could possibly be imagining.”

I tilted my head to the side and studied my boss. The knowledge that Travis was related to Roman changed things. Any complaints to HR would already be an issue of my word against his, and I assumed they would take his word over mine. Even if I had a witness like Amy, I suspected Travis would just twist things and claim we were out to get him. “You need proof,” I said slowly, to which he nodded. “Definitive proof.”

He nodded again.

“But how I get that proof…” I let my voice trail off when his smiling and nodding became almost comical.

“Glad we had this chat, Blue.” He opened the door wide and waved me out. “I’m sure I’ve given you a lot to think about.”

“Yes, sir, you certainly have.” I rose from my seat and was nearly past him before he raised his hand to stop me.

“Just one thing,” he said quietly, leaning into me so whatever he was about to say wouldn’t travel any further than my ears. “As someone who has recently had anaphylaxis, I’d refrain from tainting my food with anything that could cause such an allergic reaction. I’m all for getting the proof that you need, but be sensible about how you do it, okay? I don’t want to have to deal with any deaths, accidental or otherwise.”

“Yes, sir.” I grimaced as I remembered what he was referring to. He and his wife had gone out to celebrate their weddinganniversary about six or seven months prior, only for him to have a severe allergic reaction to the lobster they’d tried for the first time. He had been incredibly lucky that another diner had had an EpiPen with them, otherwise he wouldn’t have survived.

“Good man.” He patted me on the chest and let me pass, saying a little louder, “Keep me updated with your results.”

“Will do, sir.” I nodded in thanks to him before heading straight to Amy’s desk.

We had a lot of things to discuss.

Chapter Two

Henry

“Headingoffsoon,Henry?”

The deep sound of my boss’s voice woke me from the trance I’d fallen into, and I blinked hard as I jerked my eyes away from the monitor in front of me to find him staring at me. “Huh?”

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